


Arthur Christmas: The New Santa

by BooksAreMedicine



Category: Arthur Christmas (2011)
Genre: Character Study, Christmas, Elves, Family Feels, Gen, Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 07:30:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12930465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksAreMedicine/pseuds/BooksAreMedicine
Summary: Hello fellow readers, it was has been so long since my last story.  Arthur Christmas is one of my favorite movies and I felt so inspired by the wonderful message that I had to write this idea down."He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. " Roy L Smith"Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling." Edna Ferber





	1. Margaret Claus

Arthur had been a surprise when he came along. A Mrs. Claus was only supposed to have one boy, to inherit the Santa legacy. There had been one Mrs. Claus many years ago who had 11 girls before having a boy at last. Their family did enjoy singing "The Twelve Days of Christmas" however, she thought smiling. There had only been one other case of two boys being born to a Mrs Claus, back with Santa number 13. However, they were identical twin boys who happily shared the Santa position. Even the elves had trouble telling who was who so it seemed as if there was only one Santa.

Arthur had always been such an enthusiastic boy, eyes full of wonder and a smile full of joy and his infectious, if a little odd, laugh.  
He had really brightened up the North Pole once more with his sweaters and slippers and games.

However, she knew her baby boy had struggled a bit to find his place in the operations with all of his fear of heights and other things and his natural clumsiness. She had left it to her husband and Steve to find Arthur a place since she was kept busy running the household, making sure their treaties with Greenland were up to date, and dealing with the cookie baking and managing the Elf Scouts.

She had been wanting her husband to retire for the past ten years but something had held her back from pushing him. She knew if she said he should retire, he would retire for her and let Steve take over, but something wouldn't let her speak up. She always seemed to picture Arthur at that moment and how he still needed to secure a role for himself. So she held back her thoughts and only said neutral statements when Malcolm wondered about the next year.

Now she knew her hesitation had been that her heart knew that Arthur was needed as the next Santa even if her mind didn't. She had never even considered it since Arthur seemed so wonderful in Letters and content to let Steve be the next Santa. Arthur had always adored his older brother even when Steve had no time or patience for him.

She knew Steve wanted to prove himself to his dad and she knew Arthur idolized them both. It seemed only natural that Steve become the next Santa after all of his great ideas and hard work. Arthur seemed to fit in well as a sort of special elf, much like herself.

Still, when she saw Arthur making the attempt to deliver the present Gwen, she saw her little baby boy all grown up and her eyes were opened. She knew she had been blinded by her motherly love for the two boys, and had only seen the most peaceful path for their family.  
This Christmas, she now saw how Arthur had been born to be Santa. His eyes full of wonder, his infectious joy, how much he cared about each child whose letter he answered back.  
How he had overcome his fears to take care of one child and how he had made Grandsanta, her Malcolm, and Steve see the true meaning of Christmas once more.

She couldn't be more proud of her baby boy, the new Santa Claus.


	2. Malcolm Claus

Arthur had always been a puzzle to him. He was so different from Steve and himself and Grandsanta.

For one thing, he was clumsy, Malcolm had no idea where he had gotten that from.

For another thing, he didn't seem to fit into any part of the North Pole operation. He had been in maintenance till there was that accident and then Steve had moved him somewhere else...Letters it was.

Malcolm had loved being Santa, being in charge, being the face of the North Pole. He couldn't image life without his job. Still, back in the nineties around when he completed his fiftieth mission, he had invited Steve to take a bigger part.

Since then, Steve had some many ideas and new inventions and gizmos and all that Malcolm could barely recognize or remember how to do his job anymore.

When he hit his sixtieth mission, he realized that Steve was doing more of the work than he was, a lot more. He considered perhaps that he should retire but he was afraid.

He was afraid to become unimportant and forgotten about like he had done to Grandsanta. He didn't want to be sitting home at Christmas, out of the spotlight. He had spent so much of his life on the job that he didn't know who he was without it.  
Fortunately, his Margaret reminded him, he was her husband and a father.

The world had changed so much and had become so big and confusing that he let Steve run things, from the background, but nonetheless, Steve was who was essentially in charge and had been since that Bill Gates had that invention...a computer.

It was Steve who really got things done, he knew even though he didn't say it, that on his seventieth mission, that he really had been a hindrance and should have retired ten years ago. He hadn't realized how much he had stopped paying attention to others when he was giving his speech and realized he had no idea what his wife did nor what department Arthur was in. His wife had been taking so many classes that he couldn't keep track.  
Grandsanta was right about him being a turkey and Steve needing to knock him off get his job, he just couldn't face retirement and being forgotten and unimportant. He was very relieved when Arthur distracted them all with his game.

He deferred to Steve in everything but letting go of his figurehead position. He missed the old days when he was the one teaching Steve how things were done.

Then came that horrible announcement about a missing child! That had never happened to him before and he agreed with Arthur's panic and felt guilt welling up to fill his big belly.

But then Steve was saying all of these numbers and insisting there was no way and that his mission was still a success.

So Malcolm let his doubts and guilt slip away, for if that was his last mission as he feared it was despite his saying he looked forward to next year, he wanted it to be a success. So he went to bed, and fell asleep until the elves came pounding on his door and asking if children matter.

He tried to remember what Steve said and was getting very confused with all of their panic till they mentioned that Arthur and Grandsanta had gone to deliver that present.

Then Steve said that terrible thing about not caring about one child and all of the elves were properly horrified as he was.

Steve left him all alone and it had been so long since he had actually been in charge, about 15 years or so that he couldn't take it and left.

He went to Arthur's office in letter writing, to try to understand his youngest son.

He was amazed by what he saw...the room was bursting full of Christmas spirit and love. The painting of Arthur on his knee made him smile till he realized how long it had been since he had truly paid attention to Arthur like he was in that painting. He didn't like things that confused him and so he ignored them and let Steve handle it...he had done the same thing to Arthur that he had done with technology.

He read Arthur's replies and was touched by how Arthur still believed he was a great man. He felt unworthy to have a son like Arthur, who told children he cared when he had gone to bed and fell asleep (asleep!) when there was a still a child without a present.

He knew he had to try to live up to Arthur's expectations and he resolved to get that present delivered.

Fortunately, his wife and Steve showed up to help him.  
He then realized that he could retire, and still be loved and remembered. He knew Arthur wouldn't forget him. And when Steve thought he was like Arthur, he couldn't have been more proud of the comparison.

His son had got them all to care about a single child once more.

Then, that moment when Arthur hugged him and said he'd knew his dad would come broke his heart and helped him to see Arthur for the first time.

Arthur was truly Santa, he cared about the children above all else, above recognition and acknowledgement. So he told Arthur to put the gift under the tree.

Then, Arthur surprised and amazed him even more when he had them watch Gwen open her present. Arthur knew the most important things about caring for children and seeing the true meaning behind the missions, beyond the numbers that he had forgotten so long ago.

He knew he had to tell Steve, and was so proud when Steve saw the truth as well.

That was why Arthur had been a puzzle to him, he supposed. Arthur truly embraced Christmas spirit and thought and acted like a true Santa, something he had not understood for quite some time.

Now the puzzle was solved and Arthur was Santa, he thought happily as he gazed upon his son.


	3. Grandsanta

Arthur was the one who always had time for him and his stories. He enjoyed the look of wonder and awe Arthur would give him as he regaled the stories of his time dodging bullets and his narrow escapes.

It was such a nice change from Malcolm and Steve. They had no time for him and his methods anymore.

He remembered when he took them on his wooden sleigh and got to teach each of them about the old ways of being Santa and see their excitement and wonder as they flew in his sleigh for the first time.

Now, his son refused to retire and Steve had made the North Pole into a huge technology hub, bah!

He'd have given anything to show those two that the old ways were the best ways, the only ways for a proper Santa.

When he found Arthur worrying about that missing present, he saw his chance.

He was grateful to get to take Arthur in the sleigh, like he had Malcolm and Steve even though Arthur spent the first part of the trip huddled on the floor.

Once Arthur had sat up, he got to see that look of amazement and appreciation again.

Arthur continued to impress him with his alien act and how he distracted those lions by singing Silent Night. The boy had spunk and brains after all.

He was having the best time he'd had in a while until Arthur finally figured out his real reasons for coming along.

That look of disappointment was terrible to see.

Even worse was when Arthur seemed to have given up his Christmas spirit and had stopped caring on that beach in Cuba.

He and Bryony had been treading very carefully since Arthur seemed one snowflake away from breaking down. He couldn't believe how selfish he'd been and to see Arthur stop caring! Arthur had always cared, and he had no idea what to do.

But then, a miracle happened, Arthur saw the truth about Santa that he and everyone else had forgotten about!

That it doesn't matter how Santa's gift gets there so long as they do. It only matters that the children feel cared for, something he realizes that they may have neglected to do for Arthur as well. Arthur had made that comment about being the one child that Santa doesn't care about back at the Pole...but Arthur made it so no child was left behind...however he did it, the old way or the new way.

Arthur said he did it with worry, but Grandsanta knew he did with with courage, courage to face his faces (all of his fears, even buttons) for a child, just like a real Santa should.

Arthur has helped Grandsanta see the truth and so he didn't mind sacrificing his old sleigh to get the present to Gwen, Grandsanta was proud to leave the Santa business in Arthur's hands for Arthur was the one to make sure every child got a present, that no child was left out, that every child knew that Santa cared.


	4. Steve

Steve hadn't been thrilled about getting a little brother. He'd liked being an only child, and confident that he'd be the next Santa.

Arthur never seemed to leave him alone for those early years. He was forever tailing behind him and asking his questions, all with this adoring look on his face. It was nice to see but it got annoying when Arthur would trip and knock him down or slip something on him or wreck his new prototypes.

Steve loved Arthur but as Steve grew older, he need to impress dad and prepare to take over the Santa gig and...well.. Arthur always seemed to be messing things up.

Steve was so proud when their dad took him along on mission fifty-one to start to teach him how things were done.

He had been waiting for years to share his ideas and now he could finally put the S-1 and the HOHO into action.

Over the years, he took over more and more of the operations until his dad was just a figurehead.

Steve was impatient to take over and at last receive the recognition and acknowledgement from his dad for a job well done. He had converted their whole operation and updated everything from protocol to how they entered houses to his dream project, the S-1.

He figured that his dad was waiting for his seventieth mission like Grandsanta so he bit his lip and clenched his teeth every time his dad pretended that he was still in charge.

His dad had let him run things for the last ten years by himself and Steve knew, he just knew, this year was the one.

He had never worried about Arthur becoming the next Santa...Arthur was just so wrong for the job.

He got too emotional and he was so ridiculous with his crazy sweaters and those stupid light up slippers.

Thank candy canes that Letters seemed to be working out. He and dad had tried placing Arthur everywhere else but maintenance and wrapping had ended in disaster and for the rest, Arthur just messed with how Steve liked to run things.

His insistence on making it perfect for each child was a prime example, that was totally sentimental and inefficient, not at all what a Santa should be. Steve was an amazing Santa, efficient, full of great ideas, and capable of managing every problem that came his way with confidence and ease, no discovery on his watch.

Steve was so confident that he'd finally be Santa until his dad made that comment about waiting for next year. He couldn't believe it, after all of his hard work and new ideas and success.

What would it take?!

It was nice how Arthur believed in him...but he couldn't say this so instead he hid his feelings by pointing out all of the open doors.

Seriously, did Arthur not feel the drafts he let in all the time? How hard was it to close a door?  
This is why his dad should have made him Santa! He could handle things like shutting doors, he could take care of the entire world after all! He had done a brilliant job tonight where as his dad had almost been seen and utterly panicked till he, Steve, had saved the day.

Then, that horror of the missed child that threw Arthur into a panic, shouting and seriously thinking it was a good idea to wake the entire North Pole.

He did feel bad but how could Arthur have missed all the children he did reach successfully, it was the most outstanding Christmas ever.  
It wasn't worth damaging the S-1 for one child. What did one child matter in the scheme of the other 2 billion successes?  
They would get the gift to the child close enough to Chrismtas...but Arthur kept going on about how it was a problem and about magic...Arthur just didn't get what being Santa was all about.

He had thought that was the end of the silly matter until he learned that Grandsanta and Arthur had gone to deliver the present themselves.  
Steve had to stop them! He reasoned it was to protect them and keep the Santa secret but he knew it was mainly because he didn't want to have Arthur be the hero for getting one present to a child on time when he had gotten 2 billion on time.

He couldn't risk his dad considering Arthur while he was still fighting to get his dad's attention.

And the elves! He didn't see why everyone was going crazy because of this one child and he tried to keep things calm until he couldn't take it anymore.

He realized that everyone was horrified when he said that one child didn't matter...but come on! He had done everything else right! Why should this one mistake define him? He was too proud to admit he was wrong and thus left his dad to fend for himself with the elves.

Then he had to stop his dad from wrecking the S-1 and remind him what all he HAD done right that night.

He was still going to be the hero...there was no way Arthur could have succeeded, especially not after the sleigh crashed.

Till he realized he was at the wrong house and was absolutely terrible with children. Who knew that one boy could cry so loudly?

And his dad's reaction, smiling when he compared him to his fool of a brother..what was that about? Since when was being like Arthur, clumsy, foolish, silly Arthur, a good thing?

Till he saw Arthur was close to succeeding...Arthur had managed to make it to the house despite everything...maybe Arthur did have more talent that he gave him credit for.

Then, he entered the house, still determined to be the hero despite Arthur's success when Arthur came down the stairs.

He and Grandsanta and dad all fought over giving the gift till Arthur did something he'd never done before.

He stood up to all of them and shushed them! Arthur, who respected Grandsanta, and worshipped dad and adored him, telling all of them that this child mattered more than who was Santa!

That this child mattered more than who delivered the present..what a peculiar thought.

When his dad let Arthur put the gift by the tree, he starting to think seriously for the first time about Arthur being Santa.  
Then, when Arthur had them watch the child open the gift, Steve's heart melted at the look of pure joy on Gwen's and Arthur's faces.  
Maybe Christmas could involve emotion and sentiment and magic after all.

Then, his dad finally looked at him and said he deserved to be Santa.

But Steve had to acknowledge that his dad and Gwen were right, Arthur had acted like a true Santa. He had cared about the children, every last one of them.

Arthur was bursting with Christmas spirit and emotion and caring, everything a Santa needed.

In the end, he was happy with his job,not having to deal with children and getting to design many new inventions.  
Unlike dad, Arthur always acknowledged all of the work he did as COO.

He could be the candle to Arthur's Santa...they were brothers after all and meant to be a team.


	5. The Elves

The elves had been of two minds about Arthur since he was born and boy was that a shocker, for Santa to have two sons, unheard of.

On one hand, Arthur was very Christmasy and loved Christmas which the elves admired.

On the other hand, his clumsiness had been a big problem over the years, with destroying their barracks as the most destructive example.

On one hand, he knew all of their names and was always kind to them.

On the other hand, he frequently tripped over them and knocked them down and interfered with their work however unintentionally he did it.

On one hand, Arthur was a Claus and thus worthy of their respect and loyalty and had the right to give them orders.

On the other hand, he was scared of heights and buttons and Steve didn't respect him so some elves didn't either.  
That particular group loved joking that he should go to the South Pole so he didn't cause any more trouble or damage.

Most elves, however, liked Arthur and felt like he was one of them, a fellow elf serving the cause.

He was kind and tried hard and was great in Letters.

Arthur cared so much about children and Christmas, just they did.

The elves were especially disturbed when it seemed like children might not matter. They worked all year to bring joy to children and now one child might not matter?!

They had been celebrating until they got a whiff of the news spotting Arthur and Grandsanta.

Then, they were all working frantically and trying to figure out what was going on till they learned a present hadn't been delivered!

They were horrified, they had failed...Christmas could be ruined!

But then Steve got ahold of Arthur and Grandsanta and they saw that Arthur was trying to get the present delivered.

Arthur was so optimistic about being able to do it and the elves were so happy. They could do it, just like Arthur said they could.

Grandsanta and Arthur would be heroes, saving that child and delivering the present!

It would have been wonderful till Steve ordered them to come home and the sleigh crashed.

So, the elves went to Santa to learn the truth, did children matter? Did one child matter?

Santa told them to ask Steve...and then Steve said children didn't matter.

They were horrified, what had they been doing? Did children not matter? Did Christmas not matter?

Did anything matter? Oh, what was the point to it all?!!!

They were left alone waiting till they thought the they were abandoned when the S-1 left with the remaining Clauses.

The elves went into full blown panic and decided to melt down the North Pole.

They had been running around in fear for their lives till they saw Arthur delivering the present to the missed child.

He would save Christmas! Children did matter!

They were so proud of him, that he cared.  
Arthur was a hero to them, making sure that everyone child got their present.

The elves started chanting his name, in wonder and pride. One of their own was saving the day and proving to all of the Clauses and themselves once more that a single child did matter.

The elves called the S-1 to share the good news...Arthur was saving Christmas!

Then the elves learned that Arthur was the new Santa and they couldn't be happier.

He knew what it was to be an elf, the important of wrapping and bows, he listened to their ideas, he had Christmas spirit to share and most importantly, he cared about children and every child mattered to him.


End file.
